Written by Catherine |
Fuzhou, an underestimated treasure of Fujian province, is close to Xiamen and famous for its thousand-year-old traditional architecture, the roots of Fujian cuisineĀ and wonderful hot spring experiences. If you are planning a weekend trip from XiamenĀ and thinking about things to do in Fuzhou, you will find answers here!
You will appreciate the most well-preserved Ming and Qing dynasty ancient city architecture (Sanfang Qixiang/Shangxiahang/Yantai Hill), taste the pinnacle of Fujian cuisine (Buddha Jumps Over the Wall/Ā Pork Swallow Dumplings) and experience leisure lifestyle (hot spring/night cruise on the Min River) in Fuzhou.
Content Preview
- VisitingĀ Fuzhouās Iconic Landmarks
- Discover Authentic Local Experiences in Fuzhou
- ExperienceĀ Fuzhouās Nightlife and Evening Activities
- Unique Excursions & Day Trips from Fuzhou
- Explore Fuzhou with China Xian Tour
- FAQs about Fuzhou Trip
VisitingĀ Fuzhouās Iconic Landmarks
1.Ā AppreciatingĀ Architectural Aesthetics in Sanfang Qixiang
- Tickets: 70 yuan
- Opening hours: 24 hours available for public blocks;and 9:00 ~ 17:00 for indoor exhibition hall
- Best for: Humanities and history lovers/Hanfu enthusiasts/Ā Photography enthusiasts
It preserves the most intact traditional li-fang neighborhood layout of the three western lane and seven eastern alleys, featuring saddle walls, bluestone-paved paths, and white walls with black tiled roofs and decorated with exquisite wood, stone and brick carvings. It also has exhibition of intangible cultural heritageĀ such as Min opera, oil-paper umbrella, cork wood carving and Fuzhou lacquerware.
Many famous people were born and grown here, including Lin Zexu, Yanfu, Xie Wanying (Bing Xin), Lin Juemin, Lin Huiyin, etc. Visitors can explore the former residenceĀ of Lin Juemin (author of Letter to My Wife) and Yan Fu (translator of On the Origin of Species).
2.Ā WitnessingĀ History in Lin Zexu Memorial Hall
- Tickets: Free
- Opening hours: 8:30 ~ 18:00 for workdays and 8:30 ~ 20:00 for weekends and holidays
- Best for:Lovers of modern Chinese history/Families with children/Field trip students
It features five themes and exhibits over 120 artifacts, including manuscripts, letters, and seals, which presents the life of Lin Zexu: the pioneer of Opium Wars. The multimedia exhibition hall uses lifelike figureas, lighting effects, and sound to recreate the historic opium destruction at HumenĀ in 1839, offering a vivid and powerful experience.
3.Ā TracingĀ Origins of Fujian Merchants in Shangxiahang
- Tickets: Free
- Opening hours: 24 hours available for public blocks and 9:00 ~ 17:00 for exhibition halls
- Best for: Nightscape enthusiast/ Photography lovers/Lovers of modern commercial history
The townās architecture blends Chinese and Western elements, such as guild halls with traditional opera stages and arcade buildings along the street, bearing witness to the history of Fujian merchants and the Maritime Silk Road. Visitors can also try on traditional costumes and learn about the Min OperaĀ at the Gutian guild hall.
There are also many sites of old shops here, such as the Luo’s Silk & Satin Shop, which was a top-tier silk and satin merchant in the past. It now exhibits the three treasures of Fuzhou: lacquerware, soft wood carving, and Shoushan stone carving, where visitors can experience traditional craftsmanship.
4.Ā EnjoyingĀ Nightscape in Yantai Mountain Park
- Tickets: Free
- Opening hours: 24 hours available
- Best for: Photography enthusiasts / Hiking lovers
Situating on high ground, visitors can enjoy a panoramic view of the Min RiverĀ from the summit, making it a wonderful spot for watching sunsets and appreciating the cityās nightscape. The Stone House ChurchĀ on the mountain is a Gothic-style building and is a popular spot for photography when the ginkgo trees turn golden in the fall and winter.
5.Ā AppreciatingĀ Chinese Calligraphy on Gushan Mountain
- Tickets: Free for hiking, 40 yuan for Yongquan Temple and 10 yuan for the Eighteen Scenery Spots at Damo Cave
- Opening hours: 24 hours available for hiking trail, 6:30 ~ 17:30 for the Yongquan Temple and 8:00-18:00 for the Eighteen Scenery Spots at Damo Cave
- Best for: Hikers/History and religion lovers/Calligraphy hobbyist
Gushan Mountain is Fuzhouās most renowned national scenic area, featuring a thousand-year-old temple, cliff carvings, and panoramic views of the city. The Yongquan Temple, built in the Tang DynastyĀ and known as the Supreme Buddhist Shrine of Fujian, is famous for the Three Iron Wonders: ancient iron trees, iron cauldrons and iron beams.
Featuring over 600 inscriptions from throughout history, the cliff carvings are hailed as an open-air museum of calligraphy, which encompass five calligraphic stylesāseal, clerical, regular, running, and cursive. It also includes authentic works by renowned Chinese calligraphers such as Cai Xiang, Zhu Xi, and Li Gang.
6.Ā ExploringĀ Buddhism in Xichan Ancient Temple
- Tickets: 20 yuan
- Opening hours: 06:30 ~ 18:30
- Best for: Buddhist culture enthusiasts / history lovers
The temple is built in the style of Jiangnan gardensĀ and features a lychee tree from the Song DynastyĀ that is over a thousand years old. As the landmark of the Temple, the Baoāen Pagoda, a 13-story granite pagoda standing 67 meters high, is one ofĀ the tallest pagodas in FujianĀ and offers a panoramic view of the entire temple and Fuzhou.
7.Ā TakingĀ PicturesqueĀ Photos in Qida Village
- Tickets: Free
- Opening hours: 24 hours available
- Best for: Hikers/Photography lovers/Seafood lovers
Qida Village, a centuries-old fishing village in Fuzhou, is renowned for its spectacular panoramic views of mountains and sea, fishing rafts spanning tens of thousands of acres, and ancient stone houses. It is one of Chinaās top ten most picturesque photography destinations.
Visitors can take a boat ride among the fish rafts to experience feeding fish at sea and catching fresh seafood. The village also preserves municipal intangible cultural heritage of Sea God Parade and Sea Worship Ceremony, where visitors may experience the unique religious culture of Chinaās coastal region.
8.Ā ExperiencingĀ VR Sailing in China Shipping Culture Museum
- Tickets: Free
- Opening hours: 9:00ā17:00 except every Monday
- Best for: Photography lovers /Ocean and technology enthusiasts / Military lovers
It is Chinaās first national-level museum dedicated to the Ship Bureau, and a key witness to the Self-Strengthening Movement and the early history of the Chinese Navy. The museum presents the entire process of the establishment of the Fujian Ship Bureau by Zuo Zongtang and Shen Baozhen in 1866.
In addition to the 1:1 Full-scale Model of the Cruiser Yangwu, the museum also offers immersive exhibits and interactive experiences, allowing visitors to enjoy VR deck tours and ship simulation rides. It also authentically recreates century-old buildings such as the engine room and the art studio, making it an ideal location for industrial-style photography.
Discover Authentic Local Experiences in Fuzhou
9.Ā TastingĀ Delicious Fuzhou food
- Traditional Fujian Cuisine
-
- Buddha Jumps Over the Wall: This dish combines more than a dozen delicacies such as abalone, sea cucumber, fish maw, etc., which is slowly braised over low heat with aged Fujian wine, resulting in a rich and savory broth.
- Lychee Pork: Scored pork tenderloin is fried and glazed with red rice paste sweet-and-sour sauce, featuring a lychee-like shape with a sweet, sour and crispy flavor.
- Fuzhou Local Snacks
-
- Pork Swallow Dumplings:Lean pork hind legs are repeatedly pounded and rolled into thin sheets as delicate as rice paper, which are then filled with a secret-recipe meat filling and simmered in a rich, savory broth, leading to tender, smooth, and springy taste.
- Fuzhou Fish Balls:Fresh fish are manually pounded into fine fish paste to make bouncy and smooth fish skin. It is stuffed with savory pork filling and served in clear bone soup. The fish skin stays intact after boiling; juicy filling bursts out when bitten.
- Dingbian Hu (Rice Pancake Seafood Soup): Rice batter is poured along the edge of a hot iron pan to form thin rice crusts, which are then scraped into seafood soup with clams, dried shrimps and mushrooms.
- Popular places to savor authentic Fuzhou food: South Back Street of Sanfang Qixiang, Daming Food Street, Laoyaozhou Old Food Street
10.Ā SoakingĀ in Fuzhouās Hot Springs
Known as the Capital of Hot Springs, Fuzhou has lots of high-quality natural hot springs, which are easily accessible in the downtown and offer various options for visitors. The water at the Hot Springs emerges at temperatures ranging from 40 to 70 degrees Celsius. The water is clear and transparent, rich in various minerals, offering beneficial therapeutic effects for skin conditions, rheumatic joint pain, and neuralgia.
11.Ā ExperiencingĀ Tea Culture
Fuzhou is the home of Chinese jasmine tea, where visitors can try various types of jasmine tea, including Dabaihao, Longtuan, jasmine silver needle, Cold-Brewed jasmine, roasted milk jasmine, etc. In addition, other famous tea in Fujian isĀ also served in tea houses, such as Fuding white tea, Wuyi rock tea, Anxi Tieguanyin, and Zhengshan Xiaozhong.Ā Tea houses are served as the social center in Fuzhou, where people can chat, watch the opera and play chess.
12.Ā Wandering in Fuzhouās Small Alleys
People in Fuzhou prefer to stroll through the old streets, alleys, and side streets, eating as you walk and browsing as you eat, soaking up the lively atmosphere. Below are the top recommended streets:
- Discover Old City in the Guxi Road:The Guxi road is the heart of Fuzhouās old city, where not only offers a wide variety of Fuzhou food, from breakfast to late-night snacks, but also features beautiful natural sceneries such as the Fuzhou West Lake Park (classical gardens with a history of over 1,700 years) and Zuohai Park (dotted with towering ancient banyan trees).
- Explore Yantai Mountain Commercial Premenade:The commercial pedestriandistrict is a perfect combinationĀ of western historical buildings and modernĀ art and culture. With consulates, churchesĀ and trading firms constructedĀ by 17 countries in the past, the district has the spectacle of āArchitectures of the Nationsā. The most famous photography position is the Lequn road, where preserves old red-brick alleys, shutters, and arcades, creating a cinematic atmosphere.
- Eat Your Way Through Shida Student Street:The Shida Student Street is a food universewhere collects many kinds of food and snacks from across China. In addition to the Fuzhou local food, you can also try Northeastern-style grilled noodles, wheel cake, Jinyun flatbread, Guangxi sour snacks,Ā and barbecues from different cities. You can try lots of Chinese snacks here with very cheap price.
ExperienceĀ Fuzhouās Nightlife and Evening Activities
13.Ā Minjiang River Night Cruise
As an ultimate activity for appreciating the nightscape of Fuzhou, the route of night cruise on the Min River includes the Zhongzhou Island, Jiefang Bridge and Haixi 3D light show. Ferry service begins at 19:00 and runs every 50 to 60 minutes until 21:00. During the process,the cruise will offer guided commentary, performances of Min Opera and traditional Chinese music, and a tea break.
14.Ā Night Market in Fuzhou
Night markets are the soul of Fuzhou nightlife and there are four famous markets: You can eat until you’re full with cheap cost in the Shida Student Street,Ā and the Daming Food StreetĀ mainly serves local Fuzhou snacks. Guangminggang Night MarketĀ offers classic barbecue, stir-fried seafood, and traditional sweet soups while Xiangban Night MarketĀ specializes in braised dishes, fried foods, and beverages.
Unique Excursions & Day Trips from Fuzhou
15.Ā Pingtan Island
The Pingtan Island is the largest island in Fujian province, which is famous for the five major attractions: the Blue Tears, the windmill fields, the white sandy beaches, the stone houses, and the sea-eroded landforms. The best seasons for tracing the bule tears are from April to August. In addition, the Northern Ecological Corridor has S-curve coastal road and glass walkway, which is a wonderful photo spotĀ for driving and riding visitors.
16.Ā Xiapu Mudflats
The Xiapu Mudflats is a world-class photography destination, where is famous for the play of light and shadow with the tides, tiger-striped patterns, and bamboo fishing rafts. At sunset, the mudflats take on a gradient of gold, purple, blue, and green due to the minerals in the soil, presenting a unique and breathtaking view. After the tide goes out, visitors can also try beachcombing.
Recommended tour
Explore Fuzhou with China Xian Tour
Are you dying to explore this charming city now? China Xian TourĀ canāt wait to start the Fuzhou travelĀ with you now! Letās plan the trip together and unlock these wonderful thingsĀ to do in Fuzhou: try local food, enjoy hot springs, explore the history, wander bustling old streets and ancient lanes. Every moment here must be unforgettable.
FAQs about Fuzhou Trip
- Is Fuzhou worth visiting for a weekend trip from Xiamen?
Yes! It only takes 1 hourĀ for taking high-speed rail from Xiamen to Fuzhou and there are many departureĀ schedules for you to choose.
- What can I do in Fuzhou for a 1-2 day layover?
First day:Ā Sanfang Qixiang ā Lin Zexu Memorial Hall ā Shangxiahang ā Yantai Mountain ā Night view of Jiefang Bridge
Second day:Ā GushanĀ MountainĀ (Yongquan Temple) ā West Lake Park ā Hot Spring Experience
- Are there some free things to do in Fuzhou for budget travelers?
Sure! Many attractions are free: Sanxiang Qifang, Shangxiahang, Gushan Mountain, Lin Zexu Memorial Hall, and the many alleys rich in local life, etc.
- Is Fuzhou a walkable city for international tourists?
Yes, Fuzhou is an excellent city for exploring on foot. Most of its main attractions are very close to each other. The dedicated walking paths allow you to reach its historic districts, ancient landmarks and popular food spots easily.
